Tsütopatoloogia

Tsütopatoloogia, also known as cytopathology, is a branch of pathology that studies diseases at the cellular level. It involves the examination of individual cells or small clusters of cells that have been shed or collected from various parts of the body. This diagnostic technique is crucial for identifying precancerous changes and malignant neoplasms, as well as for detecting infectious agents and inflammatory conditions.

The most common cytopathological examination is the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear, used for screening cervical cancer. However, cytopathology is also employed for analyzing samples from the respiratory tract, urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland, breast, and body fluids like pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, and cerebrospinal fluid. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a frequently used procedure in cytopathology, where a thin needle is inserted into a suspicious lump or organ to obtain a cell sample.

Cytopathological samples are typically smeared onto glass slides, fixed, and then stained with special dyes to enhance visibility of cellular structures. A cytopathologist or cytotechnologist examines these stained slides under a microscope. They look for abnormalities in cell size, shape, nucleus, and cytoplasm, which can indicate disease. The advantages of cytopathology include its minimally invasive nature, rapid turnaround time, and cost-effectiveness compared to some other diagnostic methods. It plays a vital role in early disease detection and patient management.